In “Shame,” by Dick Gregory, Gregory tells the story of how he first learned the definition of the word shame and what it was to feel ashamed of himself. The story begins with Gregory as a little boy and his crush on a little girl, Helene Curtis. We find out the lengths the boy, Gregory, would go to impress Helene. We learn of his poverty and how he tries to improve himself because of his feelings for the little girl even into adulthood.
In class, Gregory was in trouble a lot because he couldn’t pay attention mostly due to hunger. He would eat even paste or steal from lunch boxes. Gregory knew he was dirty, smelled bad, and didn’t have a dad.
Gregory’s class took up a collection for the poor and the teacher called each student’s name. Gregory …show more content…
He didn’t like being a Worthy Boy. A Worthy Boy was given the same kind and color of coat. Gregory was so ashamed, he threw his away. He was ashamed of getting the ruined produce from the store and being seen with a relief truck and asking for hand outs.
One day, while Gregory was eating at a restaurant, a wino ordered food but couldn’t pay for the meal. He was beaten and Gregory offered to pay for his meal. The wino told him not to do it that he had paid with his beating. Gregory was upset.
Before reading “Shame,” it will greatly enhance your reading of the story to be aware of Gregory’s use of definition throughout the writing. Gregory creates a new world by defining the elements that readers need to know to understand the rules that guide the characters. These definitions allow for a point of reference that readers can then use to build the foundations of the story and understand the character’s motivations at a deeper, more personal level.
For example, Gregory defines Helene Tucker in the following passage: "Everybody’s got a Helene Tucker, a symbol of everything you want." Now readers understand that anytime Gregory mentions Helene Tucker, they may use their own “Helene Tucker” in its place: the person or thing that most represents everything you
In class, Gregory was in trouble a lot because he couldn’t pay attention mostly due to hunger. He would eat even paste or steal from lunch boxes. Gregory knew he was dirty, smelled bad, and didn’t have a dad.
Gregory’s class took up a collection for the poor and the teacher called each student’s name. Gregory …show more content…
He didn’t like being a Worthy Boy. A Worthy Boy was given the same kind and color of coat. Gregory was so ashamed, he threw his away. He was ashamed of getting the ruined produce from the store and being seen with a relief truck and asking for hand outs.
One day, while Gregory was eating at a restaurant, a wino ordered food but couldn’t pay for the meal. He was beaten and Gregory offered to pay for his meal. The wino told him not to do it that he had paid with his beating. Gregory was upset.
Before reading “Shame,” it will greatly enhance your reading of the story to be aware of Gregory’s use of definition throughout the writing. Gregory creates a new world by defining the elements that readers need to know to understand the rules that guide the characters. These definitions allow for a point of reference that readers can then use to build the foundations of the story and understand the character’s motivations at a deeper, more personal level.
For example, Gregory defines Helene Tucker in the following passage: "Everybody’s got a Helene Tucker, a symbol of everything you want." Now readers understand that anytime Gregory mentions Helene Tucker, they may use their own “Helene Tucker” in its place: the person or thing that most represents everything you